03.5 Visitors for the Chalet School Read Online Free PDF

her grey eyes. “I’m just trying to find that awful Moscheles piece Herr Anserl told me to begin learning. I can’t think where it’s gone to. Anyway, you needn’t yell so hard – I did hear. Everything’s all right; I’ve got all the things you asked for ready, and Elisaveta’s collecting the food from the kitchen after Mittagessen . What time do you want us to start?”
    “Before one o’clock,” said Joey. “We must get off quickly, or we shan’t have time to finish everything before it gets dark; the sun goes down behind the mountains quite early now. Mademoiselle says we can have Mittagessen at noon and that’s in half an hour. Do get a move on.”
    “Oh, Help and Blow and Bother!” groaned Margia, getting reluctantly to her feet and beginning to collect the scattered music. “I know Herr Anserl will simply devour me on Monday.”

    Herr Anserl came at least once a week to the Chalet School from Spärtz, the little town at the foot of the mountains where the Tiernsee lies, to give piano lessons to the more advanced pupils; of these Margia, though the youngest, was by far the most gifted. He was a wonderful musician but not renowned for his patience.
    “Well, you can’t practice now,” Jo pointed out reasonably; “there isn’t time. So do put that music away, Margia, and stop mooing like a lost cow.” She ignored Margia’s indignant protest. “When we get back this evening I’ll help you look for the Mosh – whatever it’s called, if you like. Let’s find Elisaveta now and make sure that everything’s prepared.”
    Margia resigned herself with an exaggerated sigh, pushed the music back into her locker, in a state of disorder she would regret later, and followed Joey into the common-room.
    The term was now almost two weeks old and holidays all but forgotten, for it had been a very busy fortnight, particularly in the way of outdoor activities.
    At the Chalet School extra time for games was always allowed during the first part of the Christmas term, in order to take advantage of good weather while it lasted. Once the water arrived there were often days when snowstorms made going out impossible. And of course the snow brought hockey and netball to an end until the spring.
    Accordingly, the third day of this term had seen the start of a series of inter-form netball and hockey matches. This had been Grizel Cochrane’s idea. Grizel took her responsibilities as games captain very seriously and was an excellent organizer.
    “It’ll be miles the best way of seeing who plays decently,” she declared at the Prefects’ meeting. “If every single form has got to get two teams together from their own ranks, even the slackers will have to pull their weight a bit.”
    “But, Grizel, will it not be impossible for the smaller forms to find eleven players?” queried Gertrud Steinbrücke, an Austrian girl, who was Grizel’s assistant games prefect. “And perhaps some of the new girls will never have played hockey before.”
    “Oh, rubbish! Well, anyhow, it’ll do them good to try,” Grizel returned. “And, of course,” she added, relenting a little, “we can always make the hockey ‘seven-a-side’ if any form really can’t raise an eleven.”
    Gertrud had to be content with the small concession; she knew that Grizel was seldom inclined to make allowances for other people’s frailties.
    Mittagessen , on this second Saturday of the Christmas term, took place in an atmosphere tingling with anticipation. In addition to Joey, eleven members of the Guide company were taking tests that afternoon; some were nervous, all were excited and few showed anything like their usual interest in the excellent meal provided.
    Jo, Margia and Elisaveta made as much haste as they were allowed and then dashed upstairs to get ready.
    Soon, their knapsacks over their shoulders, they were making their way rapidly towards Seespitz. It was a beautifully sunny afternoon and the Tiernsee, with the surrounding mountains